The value of community
Three and a half years have passed since the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic hit, significantly altering the course of the following years for students.
Humans not only crave but require community, we depend and thrive upon meaningful connections with others. The pandemic eviscerated our social lives seemingly overnight, switching them completely online.
Students took a hard hit during the pandemic. University is meant to be a time to expand your social networks and meet new friends while having invaluable experiences and memories along the way.
Throughout the taxing school weeks, something as simple as grabbing coffee with a classmate can be a refuge for a stressed student. The pandemic altered the traditional student experience as we were forced to adapt to online schooling, as well as an online social life.
An end to the ‘New Normal’?
As the fall 2023 semester begins at MUN, students’ lives are seemingly returning back to normal. The ‘new normal’ as it was coined last year, which consisted of social distancing, mandatory mask-wearing and online school, has now become a thing of the past.
Lectures have returned in person, and campus is bustling. This gives students the chance to experience the traditional university lifestyle, while also presenting us with the perfect opportunity to reflect on the pandemic.
Reflections from students
Karoline Keating, a biology student who began her studies in 2020 when school was completely online, felt the effects of the pandemic on her social experiences at MUN.
“As a science student, I find that labs are the easiest way to meet people and communicate as they are largely more collaborative than lectures, which I find to be less discussion-based in the sciences”, says Keating. “We missed out on first-year labs entirely, and then we were very behind in second-year because we lacked so much hands-on experience from online school.”
“We had to wear masks for two years in labs which I believe hindered the experience. They made it hard to socialize because it was intimidating to interact with strangers when you couldn’t grasp how they were reacting to you. It’s hard to talk to a stranger if their facial expressions aren’t inviting, so it was equally as difficult when you couldn’t see their facial expressions at all, you just don’t know how you’re being perceived.”
Sophie Pittman, who graduated with her B.Sc in Psychology in 2023, experienced MUN prior to the pandemic and also feels that her social life was most affected.
“I only had one full semester in person before the pandemic hit, but I remember spending a lot of time with my friends on campus, studying, eating and walking to class together. School honestly felt really enjoyable”, says Pittman.
“When MUN moved online, I found that my schoolwork got easier as there were fewer expectations for students. I didn’t really feel any social impacts at the time, but when we went back in person, I realized that we were robbed. I had not made any friends or experienced any social events with my peers, I hadn’t even seen my professor’s faces before. I feel like we missed out on a lot of the things that make university memorable and fun. Even when we initially returned to campus, it felt really dull, but I do think that it’s starting to get more lively.”
“In summary, I’m thankful for having that year online because it gave me the chance to relax a bit while boosting my GPA, but I also feel like I lost my chance at getting the ‘university experience’.”
Alex Snow, who graduated with a B.sC in psychology in 2023, also experienced MUN pre-pandemic and felt similar effects.
“Before the pandemic, MUN was thriving with student life, active societies and resource centres”, says Snow. “The UC was always hosting an event, and there was a bake sale every day of the week. Classes felt more social and involved more group projects and interactions. I built many relationships and friendships with professors and classmates.”
Snow struggled when MUN moved online, claiming that they felt they lacked a lot of knowledge that the general psych student should have due to the flaws of impromptu online schooling. The semester was anxiety-inducing for Snow, and these anxieties were paired with a global pandemic.
What’s next?
As three and a half years have passed, it feels as if campus has finally returned to normal. Pittman speaks for many students’ experiences in saying that campus felt dull upon initially returning in person. However, things appear to be shifting as the fall 2023 semester has seen a campus abuzz with clubs, societies, fairs and social events.
We can be hopeful that the social scene at MUN will only continue to thrive and grow, giving students the opportunity to experience their university years in the way they were intended, full of community and new experiences.
